Adjustable caster



Dec. 19, 1944. c. R. NALLE ADJUSTABLE CASTER Fil ed Jan. 11, 1944 Patented Dec. 19, 1944 UNITED STATE 2,365,287 r ADJUSTABLE as an Charles R. Nalle, lliiladelphix-Pal Application JanuarylI, 1944,SerialjNo."517,830

6 Claims. (o1. 1e- -19:) 5

a table leg or in the bottom framework of a cabi-- net, desk, etc. The socket is normally provided, at its lower end, with a bearing or wearplate having a toothed peripheral flange arranged to be driven intothe woodwork of the article to secure the socket in place. Theopposite end of the neck of the socket is usually slotted or recessed longitudinally, and contracted radially, to engage an-annular shoulder on the underside of the head of the ordinary caster stem. The stem of the caster is adapted to be inserted in the socket and is normally provided with a circular enlargement which is adapted to bear against the hearing or wear plate at the outer or lower end of the socket. Below the enlargement on the caster stem, the caster stem is provided with a floor-engaging element of either the glide type, in the form of a button-like element, molded on or otherwise secured to the stem, or the type which includes a roller mounted in a horn or yoke secured to the stem, below theaforesaid enlargement thereof.

The adjustable caster of the present invention is adapted. to be interchangeable with and to replace the conventional caster structure, above described. In the present instance, the caster of the present invention is provided with a stem of the same general type as noted above and which may be .inserted into the conventional socket in the same general manner, :as noted above. However, below. the bearing enlargement on the stem, the stem of the caster of the present invention is provided with means by which the floor-engaging element carried thereby may be adjusted axially of and relative to the stem, for the purpose of leveling or rsteadying the article of furniture'to which the caster is applied, in order to compensate for variations in the floor on which the article of jurniture is resting.

One object of the adjustable caster of simple, efiicient, inexpensive construction, capable of interchangeable installation in the common .conventional sockets of invention is to provide an described hereinafter, I reference being ;,had to G'to secure the socket in position. The oppo-' the neck '2 of thefisbcketl "articles of furniture',. without requiring, theuse ofspecial tools,' as an ordinary screwdriver ,or similar implement will s'uflice to pry or remove the old type of caster from the conventional .,socket ready for'reception 0f the stem ofthe ad-v justa'ble caster of the present invention, which latter may be readily placed in operating position in the conventional socket merelyby the application of force axially. upon the stem of the caster.

'The constructionand operation'ofithe cas ter structure of the present invention 'will'be fully the accompanying drawing of which? the like; I H

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation as taken on the l n s.z3';. t

.Fig. 3 is a sectional planview taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an inverted on the line 4-4, .Fig, 2 and,

Fig. 5 is a. detachable perspective view of the essential elements of the caster ,of the present in ventiona .As shown I socket I includes an elongated tubular neck 2, to one endof whichis fitted :t-he usual'bearing plate or base 4. The base plate 4 is adapted to be seated against the mder surf-ace "-5 of a leg oriramework-fi of a table or other-article of furniture... The 'marginal-edgeof the base plate 4 is provided with .;an up turned -fiange 1 in Wh'iOhf is formed .a series -of=teeth :8. The teeth 8 are adapted "to be driven into the framework site end of the :neck '2 is longitudinally slotted oi'flirecessed at '9, andfis radially contracted into the form of a cone-'frustum "l0.

Both the conventional type of caster, and the caster -of the-present invention, includes an-upper" stern 'II "which is adapted to *be inserted axially into the neck 2 :of -the=socket]1, "The free endlof the'stern *l'l isprovidedwith-ahead l2 affording an"annu1ar* overhanging shoulder [3 under and againstwhich the upper radially contractedresilient edge M of the neck 2 isadapted to"bear,.;for removably"retainingthe stem H in The opposite end .or the upper stem I .is

provi d wi h anemars'iement J5, and, in som 7.

instances t least, with an annularl fil'eted bearing surface ,or supporting shoulder 16 Fig. 1 .is a sideelevation' of'the structure'as' V applied to the lower-end oi the leg of a table or sectional plan view taken in and the gicoriventional adapted to bear against a correspondingly fileted bearing surface 3 of the socket I.

In the present instance, below the shoulder enlargement I5, the lower part of the stem H is extended axially, as indicated at IT, and is provided with screw threads I8. The diametrically opposite sides of the lower stem i! are flattened throughout the length of the lower stem IT, as indicated at l9, l9.

Rotatably mounted on the lower 'stem I1 is a disc 20 which is provided with internal screw threads 2| adapted to cooperate with the external screw threads l8 of the lower stem ll to effect axial adjustment of the disc 20 on and relative to the stem ll, between the stem enlargement l5 and the free end of the screw threaded axial extension H of the stem ll.

Adapted to bear against the underside of the rotatable disc is a. second non-rotatable disc 22. The disc 22 is provided with a central plain opening 23, for reception of the lower stem l1, and the opposite sides of the central opening 23 are flattened, as indicated at 24, 24, to bear against the fiat sides l9, IQ of the lower stem I! to aiford asplined connection and prevent relative rotat on betweenithe disc 22 and the lower stem I I, while permitting relative axial sliding therebetween.

Spot welded or otherwise secured to the underside of the non-rotating disc 22, in the present instance, is a cross-plater 25 of a caster yoke or horn, which is provided with a central plain open ng 23:; of the same size and shape as the opening 23 in the disc 22. for passage of the flattened stem IT. From the opposite sides respectively of the plate .25 extend the arms 26, 26 of the roller supporting yoke or horn. Between the arms 26, 28 is mounted, for relative rotation about an axle 21, the 'caster wheel 28, the opposite ends of the roller axle or pin 21 being secured in the arms 26, 26 in any suitable manner. as by riveting. or by peening.

The discs 20 and 22 are retained in concentric relation to each other for relative rotat on, while preventing any substantialrelative axial movement therebetween. by a retaining ring 30. which includes an annular inturned flange 3| un erlying the mar inal edge portion of the disc 22. and a cyl ndrical body 33 surrounding the eripheral face of the disc 22.

The retaining ring also includes a ser es of axiallv extend n tongues 34 which alternate with axially extending recesses 35 formed in the u er ed e ofthe cylindricalbodv 33 of the retaining ring 30. the distance between the plane of the bases 36 of the recesses 35. 35 a d th plane of the upper surfaces of the inturned flan e 3! of the'ring 30 being slightly greater than the thickness of the disc 22 to permit said relative rotat on and prevent said relative axial movement between the discs 20 and 22.

The eri heral ed e of the disc 20 is provided with alternating radial lugs 31, 31, which are ada ted to fit into the recesses 35. 35 respectively of t e retaining ring 30, and radial recesses 38, 38 which are respectively adapted to receive the axial tongues 34, 34 of the reta ning ring 30.

The upper ends of the tongues 34, 34 are adapted to be bent radially inward over the upper,

surface of the disc 20 and to hold the under surface of the lugs 31, 31 of the disc 20 in firm contact with the base surfaces 36, 36 of the recesses 35, 35 in the retaining ring 30, whereby the ring 30 and the disc 20 become, for all intents and.

purposes, a single integral hand wheel foreffecting adjustment of the caster floor contacting element 28 axially on and with respect to th stem l l-l l of the caster.

In order to facilitate the turning of the nut disc 29 on the threaded stem ll, the lugs 31, 3'! may be extended radially outward beyond the tongues 34, 34 to provide a superior gripping surface on the peripheral edge of the operating hand wheel formed by the nut disc 20 and the retaining ring 30.

I claim:

1. An adjustable caster comprising a stem including a swivel bearing shoulder intermediate the opposite ends thereof, screw threads formed on said stem below said shoulder, a disc having a threaded bore and rotatably mounted on the threaded end of the spindle, a bearing disc underlying the threaded disc and splined to said spindle against relative rotation with respect thereto, and a floor engaging element carried by said bearing disc.

2. An adjustable caster comprising a stem including a swivel bearing shoulder intermediate the opposite ends thereof, screw threads formed on said stem below said shoulder, a disc having a threaded bore and rotatably mounted on the threaded end of the spindle, a bearing disc underlying the threaded disc and splined to said spindle against relative rotation with respect thereto, a floor engaging element carried by said bearing disc, and means for maintaining said bearing disc against axial displacement from said threaded disc while affording relative rotation between said discs.

3 An adjustable caster comprising a stem including a swivel bearing shoulder intermediate the opposite ends thereof, screw threads formed on said stem below said shoulder, a disc having a threaded bore and rotatably mounted on the threaded end of the spindle, a bearing disc underlying the threaded disc and splined to said spindle against'relative rotation with respect thereto, a floor engaging element carried by said bearing disc, and a retaining ring encasing the peripheral edges of said discs and preventing relative axial displacement thereof while affording relative rotation therebetween.

4. An adjustable caster comprising a stem including a swivel bearing shoulder intermediate the opposite ends thereof, screw threads formed on said stem below said shoulder, a disc having a threaded bore and rotatably mounted on the threaded end of the spindle, a bearing disc underlying the threaded disc and splined to said spindle against relative rotation with respect thereto, a floor engaging element carried by said bearing disc, a ring surrounding the peripheral edges of said discs, means for securing said ring to said threaded disc, and an inturned flange on said ring underlying said bearing disc and preventing axial displacement of said discs while affording relative rotation therebetween.

5. An adjustable caster comprising a stem including ,a swivel bearing shoulder intermediate the opposite ends thereof, screw threads formed on said stem below said shoulder, a disc having a threaded bore and rotatably mounted on the threaded end of the spindle, a bearing disc underlying the threaded disc and splined to sa d spindle against relative rotation with respect thereto, a floor engaging element carried by said hearing disc. a ring surrounding the peripheral edge of said bearing disc, tongues on said ring extending axially into recesses formed in the" peripheral edge of said threaded disc, inturned ends on said tongues overlying the upper sura floor engaging element carried by said bearing 15' disc, a ring surrounding the peripheral edge of said bearing disc, tongues on said ring extending axially into recesses formed in the peripheral edge of said threaded disc, inturned ends on said tongues overlying the upper surface of said threaded disc, an inturned flange on said ring underlying said bearing disc to prevent relative axial displacement of said discs while affording relative rotation therebetween, and lugs .on said threaded disc projecting radially beyond said ring and afiording a gripping surface for facilitating rotation of said threaded disc and said ring as a unit.

CHARLES R. NALLE. 

